Long Beach harbor budget is approved, includes nearly 25 new positions

LONG BEACH >> Harbor leaders on Monday approved an $858 million spending plan for fiscal year 2015 that includes the hiring of nearly 25 positions and a $20 million payment to its $140 million debt service.

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved the budget of its Harbor Department, which oversees the Port of Long Beach.

The budget, which is 16 percent lower than last year’s $1 billion budget, is conservative and includes spending an estimated $579.4 million on capital projects.

In 2015, about $251.8 million will be spent on the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project and $141.8 million on the Middle Harbor project, which redevelops two old terminals into a massive terminal.

The board also endorsed the hiring of 24.8 employees, including 16.8 full-time employees in the Engineering Department to help get critical projects done and reduce the department’s reliance on consultants, six positions in the Security Division and three new Fire Department positions to handle the new, complex fire boats that will double as marine fire-fighting vessels and a command and control platform.

The budget also includes the transfer of $17.3 million of harbor revenue to the city’s Tidelands Fund, which pays for improvements for the area south of Ocean Boulevard. The amount represents 5 percent of the port’s gross operating revenue.

The Harbor Department budget will be part of the city’s overall budget and sent to the City Council for final approval. The city’s 2015 fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

Contact Karen Robes Meeks at 562-714-2088.

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